Mums and mums to be are being encouraged to exercise during and after their pregnancy by midwives at Musgrove Park Hospital.
Keeping active during pregnancy is important. It can help reduce fatigue, swelling, pelvic pain and helps women cope well during labour.
Exercising after birth is also a great way for new mums to bond with their baby and to meet other new mums. The midwifery team at Musgrove have been successfully running a series of classes called Bumps and Beyond for the last 18 months, and due to their popularity they have been extended.
Activities include aquanatal, circuits, yogalates, baby yoga and mum and baby fitness classes – meaning there is a class for whatever stage of pregnancy the woman is at. The classes are also available to women who are thinking of starting a family. And women can be assured that they’re in safe hands as the classes are run by qualified ante and postnatal fitness instructors, many of who are midwives.
Women signing up to take part for the classes are also benefiting from reduced costs, thanks to the support of Knightstone Housing Association’s Creative Active Communities initiative – a four year Sport England project which is designed to encourage and hep people to get active.
Jen Bolton, a mum of two from Wellington, said: “I joined the aqua-natal class in September 2017 at Wellington Sports Centre as I wanted to exercise and to meet other mums. “The class is run by Hayley, who is a local midwife and mum of four. She is a fantastic instructor with a great knowledge of exercises suited to the pregnant body but she also pushes us which I found was really important in getting prepared for giving birth. “The class is a great mix of muscle toning, cardio and relaxation with a little Q&A session
at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the class every week both physically and mentally.
For more information or to sign up to a class, go to the Bumps and Beyond Facebook page.
FB @bumpsandbeyondsomerset or www.better.org.uk/bumpsandbeyond
Please Wait...